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CWU calls for law change to protect posties from dangerous dogs

The CWU has welcomed the arrest and charging of the owner of a dangerous dog which attacked a six year old girl on Saturday.

The union represents postal workers and telecom engineers who suffer more than 6,000 dog attacks each year and the union is again appealing to government to change outdated dogs laws

If this attack had happened on private land the chance of a prosecution would have been slim leaving thousands of dog attack victims vulnerable.

CWU general secretary Billy Hayes said: “How many more attacks will take place before the government acts? Yet again we hear the tragic news of another child victim of a dangerous dog attack caused by an irresponsible owner. Unless legislation and enforcement is toughened up, our streets and public parks are not safe from the menace of dangerous dogs and there will be more attacks like this one.

“We desperately need new dogs laws to prevent attacks, promote responsible dog ownership and hold owners of dangerous dogs to account when attacks take place. Thousands of dog attack victims are currently not protected by the law including many of our members who have to work on private property to deliver the mail or install broadband lines.”

CWU has been campaigning for new dangerous dogs laws in the UK since 2008 when postman Paul Coleman was nearly killed by a vicious dog attack in Sheffield. 6,000 postal workers are attacked every year while delivering the country’s post. Two serious attacks hospitalised postmen in Finchley and Norwich on Thursday and Friday last week, before news of the Chingford Toddler attack on Saturday.

CWU health and safety officer Dave Joyce said: “The current law just doesn’t go far enough to tackle the issue of dangerous dogs. Our campaign has gained the support of both the Scottish Government and the Northern Ireland government who changed the law in 2011.

“We want Westminster to stop shilly-shallying and act now. David Cameron keeps talking about the ‘Monster of Health and Safety’ when he ought to start talking about the ‘Monster Dangerous Dogs’ blighting our society with no effective safety for workers, children and the public.”

* More information about the CWU’s Dangerous Dogs campaign can be found here